DEAR DR. GOTT: My wife follows your column in our local newspaper. She read about placing a bar of soap under the bedsheets, but needs more explanation. She suffers a lot of pains and seeks whatever help is available.
DEAR READER: The soap-under-the-sheets remedy is very simple. Place an unwrapped bar of soap under the bottom bedsheet nearest to the affected area. Some readers have had success using wrapped soap, as well. It was originally recommended for nighttime leg cramps but has also been found to be beneficial for other nighttime aches and pains in other areas, such as the shoulders, feet, back and neck. The soap may need to be replaced once in a while, say every three to six months, but it still retains its cleaning ability so it does not need to be thrown away. I suggest your wife try it since she has nothing to lose other than her pain.
